Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-28
HINTS IN SEASON.
Concerning Domestic Equipments Tend
ing to Make Home Attractive

Every number of the Decorator and Fur
Rjsher contains hints and suggestions that
are most valuable in both the esthetical
and practical departments Of the home.
The rage for the old fashioned, that can
scarcely claim the antique, is a recognized
condition of the feminine mind. This
magazine has the following suggestions for
floor coverings:
The passion for old-time things has
brought into fashion the homemade rag
carpet, but there are more artistic ways of
having it woven than the everlasting stripe.
handsome carpet is a solid center piece
of maroon. The warp should be colored
the same shade as the rags and all may be
colored at home, if desirable for economy
sake, with diamond dyes; and to utilize
both light and dark rags, very handsome
border is made of shaded red and orange
woven III the old-fashioned stripe. An
other style is to have very heavy warp
used, twice as thick as for ordinary carpet (;
color it several desired shades. This pro
duces very pretty checked carpet, weay-
ing in the rags in stripes
There is scarcely a town in which the
loom and a competent weaver cannot be
found, the fashion Of silk rag curtains hav-
ing revived that industry.
Mating Is delightful covering for the
floor IN summer. 1t will not always lie
perfectly smooth on the floor The follow
ing is oife ed as a remedy for the bullying
" If any portion of the mating stretches
and raises IN blsters after it is once firmly
down, the place should be made quite wet,
and allowed to dry. The best way to do
this is to wet flannel cloth in very hot
water, and, while slightly dripping, spread
over the spot, letting it remain undi the
PUSHES and threads are thoroughly wet.
hoy ~ " In Z J I
four square over the place, and put the lap
board, Or any smooth board, over the cloth.
If the room is not needed it is we'll to place
weight on the board, and allow it TO re-
main over night This will, in most cases,
| render the mating perfectly smooth. 1t
sLrlnks the warp, and draws the rushes
down into place. Mating may be cleaned
with a cloth wet in salt water or clear
water only. II is said that soap turns it
yellow, and some housekeepers use weak
soda water expressly for this purpose The
PUSHES will turn to clear, pale yellow,
which is often very pretty. An old bed
room mating was recently made to look
very pretty by tearing inch-wlde strips of
blue and-whlte ticking lengthwise, folding
them, with the raw edges under, and tack
ing them, about four inches apart. over the
entire floor. This was done with small
mattiDg-tacks. The effect was very pretty.
The room was hung with blue and white,
and was voted the prettiest in the entire
cottage"
The poet says: in the spring the young
mans fancy lightly turns to thoughts of
love-" But the housekeeper's fancy does
not. Instead, it turns to thoughts of how
to clean, settle, decorate and renovate the
home and its belongings, and to this she is
moved by the same sentiments that SWAY
the young mans thoughts but, alas she
is not swayed to think lightly" 'Twould
be well if she were. If there is one pleas
ure that thrills true housewife more than
another, it is to be able tc make the old
appear new, when "old" mea. shabby"
or to make cheap article app ear expen-
sive. The cheap table now found in all our
furniture stores, or tables that are marred
can be made to appear new by vanishing
and covering. Table cloths are not always
desirable, and cloth or plush can be fast
ened by the following method on to a
| wooden surface:
Make mixture of two and a Quarter
pounds of wheat -four, two tablespoonfuls
of powdered resin, and two tablespoonfuls
of powdered alum rub the mixture, in a
suitable vessel, with water, to q uniform,
smooth paste; transfer this to small ket-
tie over fire, and stir until the paste is
perfectly mogeneous-without Jumps.
As soon as the mass has become so stiff
that the stirrer remains upright in it, trans
fer it to another vessel, and cover it I'D, so
that no skin may form on its surface The
paste is applied, in very thin LAYER. to the
surface of the table; the cloth, etc. is then
laid and pressed upon it, and smoothei
with Keller. The ends are cut after dry